


Let the flames begin

by sketzocase



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Aliens, Bullying, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, F/F, F/M, High School, I'll go ahead and say that the 'referenced character death' isn't really that much of a thing, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Nightmares, PTSD, Please keep reading to find out exactly what that means, Racism, Riots, Trigger warnings to be given at the beginning of each chapter, X-teens, all the way out the window, cannon- lets just throw that out, characters at imporoper ages from cannon, mutant bigotry, referenced character death, slight angst, teen X-men fic, upsetting situations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 04:58:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16190567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketzocase/pseuds/sketzocase
Summary: 14 years ago tragedy struck the Xavier institute- leaving 4 children left in its wake. Those 4 kids are now teens- navigating the trials and pitfalls of adolescence while trying to figure out the key to their very dark and very mysterious past. In the end- not all answers are something you want to find.





	1. Fragile Broken things

**Author's Note:**

> So for this- there is just a little bit of homework- the title is from Paramore's song “Let the flames begin” and I highly recommend that you go listen to that just to kinda get in the headspace of the fic. 
> 
> SO. This is something to do with x-teens. But it’s dark. 
> 
> It has nothing to do with my two other kid fics- and it won’t be all doom and gloom. I promise there will be some light stuff in there. 
> 
> Also, without giving too much away don't get caught up on the 'character death'. Not all of those peeps are actually dead. But you'll have to keep reading to find out who survived or who didn't or if I'm lying or not lying or what have you. Just please don't get caught up on it. I swear I've got a reason for the madness. 
> 
> Anywho- x-teens! Yay! 
> 
> Please leave me a kudos or a comment or what have you!
> 
> Thanks for reading!

It’s like a bad dream. Every time it happens- I'm shocked into a cold sweat.

It's a like a really, really, awful nightmare.

I don’t know if it’s a memory or if what happened actually did- I was really little. But I remember screaming. My mother screaming. My aunts screaming. My sister crying. Children running. It was chaos.

The dream always starts the same. I’m lying in my bed and there’s an odd light outside the window. I get up to go look, but Laura stops me before I reach the window. She tells me to lay still. Then my father- what I remember of my father, I don’t remember his face- comes in the room in a horrible hurry and tells us to get up. He grabs me from my bed and takes Laura by the hand- running us to the garage. Laura cries because of how hard he’s pulling on her arm. I was crying because I was scared.

The sound- even in my dreams and even from that young age- I'll never forget it. Panic. People crying. People screaming. The low rumble of thunder through the air. It's like the air itself was charged. I clung to my father's shirt- I remember the plaid overshirt vividly. It's something I associate with him to this day. He was saying something to me- but I don't remember his voice.

The other's were not in their rooms- my dad stopped to check. Their parents had already removed them.

The house- I barely remember. But I smelt smoke. Something was on fire. I don't know what- but I remember some of my aunt's and uncles trying to fight it.

I can still hear my father's boots on the wood floor. Fast. hurried. Heavy. Like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

I remember Laura crying and crying- asking what was happening. Dad didn't answer. He didn't even try to answer. He didn't try to calm us down. He just kept moving.

But he was solid. He was sturdy. I clung to him in my fear.

Talia and Nate were already in the garage. Their parents giving them strict instructions on what to do.

I didn’t understand. I was too little. I still don't understand.

Nate is the oldest. He was stoic.

He's been that way ever since.

His father was the leader of all of our parents. He told him to look after us. To make sure nothing bad happened.

I don't remember his face either, but I remember how he spoke. He was used to be listened to.

His wife- my aunt and Nate's mom- was talking to Kitty. It's like she didn't want to be near her son at the moment.

When she finally comes over to him, she collapsed in tears. She sounded to be in pain.

Someone said- and I don't remember who- it was because she was feeling the mental anguish of all the other people in the house- including the ones who were slowly dying.

Talia's dad said there was nothing else we could do.

He said that Bobby and Kitty had to take us away. Far, far, far away.

And... that we couldn't come back. Ever.

Uncle Bobby was starting a car that we never used- I don't know why we had to use that one. We still have it to this day. I remember them being worried it wouldn’t start. My father gave him instructions that I can’t remember. Talia was crying. Really really bad.

Dad squeezed me tight. Told me- and I remember this part- that I would understand what happened some day. That I had to be quiet and still in the car and listen to what Bobby and Kitty said.

My father put us in the car- no car seats, no toys, no anything that we usually had when we were in the car. We had nothing but the clothes on our backs.

I remember asking for a stuffed toy.

They said there was no time.

My mother- she was bloody. She leaned in the door and kissed me and Laura. Told us to be strong.

Her clothes were burnt.

I wish I remembered her face.

God. I wish I remembered any of their faces.

I didn’t understand. I didn’t know what she was talking about.

Talia was forced into the back seat but she wouldn’t stay. Aunt Kitty climbed into the back and held her down- keeping her there when the doors were closed. She cried for her dad. Screaming and screaming.

The car held four of us- Me, Laura, Nate, and Talia- plus the two ‘adults’. They seemed like adults but in actuality, Bobby was 16. Kitty was 14.

Bobby pulled out of the garage and there was a yellow flash of light- that’s all I remember.

I wake up in a cold sweat- like I always do.

Our room is dark and smells a little like wet dog.

We won't have a dog- let alone a wet one- as far as I can remember the apartment came with the smell.

Bobby calls it our 'signature scent'.

Really makes going to school smelling off easy.

Especially if you have super senses.

I and Laura really lucked out in that department.

The bedroom houses two beds and a desk we all have to rotate using to do homework. Right now it's got all of our phones- literally the nicest things we own.

Bobby got a deal from a friend.

Don't know what he did to get them- but I can kinda guess seeing as his 'friend' is a bit of a sleazeball.

He's been making 'sacrifices' like that so Kitty doesn't have to.

It sucks- but we know he's completely safe.

Any time anything starts to go south- he just omega level mutants his way out of there.

Anyway- the phones are nice. We got them for Christmas a few months ago.

Christmas isn't something we can really afford to do that often- which sucked when we were little. Always wondering what we did to end up on the naughty list and make Santa not visit. I think I was all of 10 when I realized why things are like they are. God, I felt like an ass.

Bobby and Kitty both work odds and ends jobs. Bobby working at some kind of warehouse and Kitty working as an impromptu nurse at a mutant clinic. Their hours mean they're rarely ever home when we actually need them.

Most of the time when we're having an issue, we have to facetime them to see if they can help us resolve it.

It's not like they're distant. Or even bad guardians.

It’s just... feeding four kids is hard.

And it's not something they necessarily asked for.

They weren't exactly adults when this started.

They kinda just got thrust into the job.

Anytime I ask about what happened- about why they are raising us instead of one of our parents- they get quiet. Tell us it's just the way it is. That it's just how it's got to be.

They're emotionally supportive and really the best outcome we could have asked for in this situation.

We could have easily been split up and sent into foster care. Which... isn't kind to anyone. But most especially rough on mutants.

It's easy to think all this now- when my adrenaline is pumping and I'm hyped up from the thinking of something I don't understand. Later on this morning- I'll probably be pretty depressed about all of this.

Laura is sitting up in bed when I turn over- I see her in the dark. “You had the dream again?” She asks, not looking up from her book.

I nod. “Why are you reading in the dark?”

“Tj’s sleeping.” She nods to the other bed across the room.

“It’s bad for your eyes,” I say with a grin. She returns it.

“Your powers are acting up.” She says. “Laying beside you is like laying next to an emotional generator or something.”

“Sorry.” I look around our dark room. “Did Bobby make it home?”

She shakes her head. “Overnight shift.”

“He worked overnight yesterday.”

“The rent got hiked.” She says. “I saw the notice in the trash.”

“Why wouldn’t he tell us?” I ask in surprise.

The rent was already way too high on a place like this. It was cheaper when we were living in other states.

You can't convince me that it isn't because we're mutants. They know it. They're trying to strongarm us out.

It's not new to us. Our last three places have done the same thing.

There was a two week period when we were all living in a motel.

Bobby and Kitty really had to think of their feet to keep us from being completely homeless.

“Because he’s Bobby.” Nate groans from his and Talia’s bed. “Now go to sleep. You're keeping me up and I've got a Calculus test in the morning.”

Laura and I share a look before everyone falls back into silence.

“Laura?” I ask in a whisper.

These thoughts are churning in my brain. I can't let it go.

I had this life. I had parents, I had things, I had a home that didn't smell like wet dog- what happened to make me lose that? Why can't I remember that well?

I mean I know I was young. But... I remember what I can.

“What?” She lays down beside me, pulling her pillow close to her face.

“Do you remember what dad looked like?” I ask her.

"Dad?"

I nod.

She’s quiet for a long minute. “Kinda.” She says. “He was hairy. Short. Had... blue eyes I think?”

That's... not good enough.

“Do you remember what Uncle Scott and Aunt Jean looked like?”

“No.” She says.

“Uncle Kurt?”

She shrugs. “I remember that he was blue- like Tj. And... I think he spoke with an accent. I don't remember where he was from.”

“He had a wife- right?” I ask.

“Kitty said she died after Tj was born.” She says. “I don’t remember why.”

Still not good enough. I know I'm asking for too much. Laura is just a year older than I am. She probably doesn't remember any better than I do. “And any of our other aunts and uncles?” I ask.

She shakes her head.

“...mom?” I ask.

“A little.” She says. “Why are you asking now? It was forever ago. They’re all dead now.”

"I know I know," I say. "But when I have this dream... it makes me think- ya know?"

She nods. "But it won't do you any good, Aki. Honestly- they're dead. They sent us away to protect us."

“But how did they die?” I ask. “What were they protecting us from? What was the light outside the window? What was the light-“

“You were two when it happened.” She says. “I was three. It was 14 years ago. No one remembers.”

“Remember my mom,” Nate says sleepily. “I have dreams about her. No use drudging up the past- go to sleep.”

“But what was the light?” I ask.

“Go to sleep.” Nate groans, pulling his pillow over his ears.

“Ask Bobby when he gets home.” Laura offers, adjusting our blanket.

“What about Kitty?” I ask. “She’ll know.”

“She’s told you a thousand times,” Tj’s voice says sleepily. “Something bad happened and she doesn’t want to talk about it.”

“But we’re older now,” I say. “How long do they expect us to just accept that we’ll never know what happened?”

“I’ll tell you what happened.” Nate sits up in the bed, running a hand through his hair. “Our parents, home, and worldly possessions were destroyed. We escaped because they decided to save us. We live in California- the hottest fucking place on the planet- we go to school at the shittiest school in the state, and both of our guardians are overworked and were way too young to take in four kids. Oh and we’ve been eating ramen for the past two weeks because the grocery money went to the light bill. And we have no hot water. And we’re all way too old to be sharing a room- let alone a bed- with each other. We’ve lived here for three years. We’ve moved around the whole 14 years we’ve been exiled-“

“That’s enough,” Tj growls. “He’s just asking a question. You don’t have to go all Mr. robot factual on his ass. He’s curious.”

“Curious isn’t going to bring our parents back,” Nate says, turning over, away from us.

"There's nothing wrong with asking questions, Nate," Laura says. "Even you get curious."

"I was curious when I was twelve. I'm 18 in three days. Curiosity gone. Fixed. Solved. Not curious anymore. Life sucks and there's not a single fucking thing you can do about it."

We're all quiet.

"Nate.. remember playing army man in the yard?" Tj asks.

"No. And I don't want to." he snaps. "We're not doing this trip down memory lane so you can all cut that shit out right now."

We're all quiet for a few long minutes.

“You remember one of our aunts used to sing?” Talia asks.

“Ugh.” Nate groans.

“Yea,” Laura says. “I remember it.”

“Kinda what made me want to start singing,” Tj says. “If I get famous enough and good enough, and she got away- she’ll recognize me. And she’ll come help us.”

“One, we don’t know her name or what she looks like,” Nate says. “Two, she’s probably dead.” He turns his head back towards us. “And three, you’re never getting famous.”

"Why not?"

"Look at you," Nate says. "No offense, but mutant's like you don't get to share the limelight with normies."

There's a tense silence.

“You don’t have to be such a dickhead all the time, Nate.” Tj jerkily gets up from the bed. “It’s not a good trait.” She yanks their blanket off the bed and storms out.

“See what you did, Akihiro?” Nate says. “This is why we don’t ask questions.”

“Oh lay off of him,” Laura says. “He had a bad dream. The same one we all have. Don’t tell me you don’t wake up questioning what happened.”

“What is there to question?? Something bad happened and everyone died. End of story. End of questions. How the fuck are we supposed to progress forward if we keep dwelling on the past?”

“Fuck you.” I hiss, putting my feet on the floor.

“Where are you going?” Laura asks.

“To go find Tj,” I say, walking to the door.

Laura nods, turning over in the bed.

“When you find her... tell her that she can’t run off in the middle of the night. It’s not safe. Especially for her.”

“I’ll tell her,” I say, going to the door and closing it behind me.

I follow Tj’s scent to Kitty and Bobby’s room.

They share a room because Bobby’s as gay as they come and therefore has no attraction to Kitty- making it pretty easy to share a space.

“Kitty’s gone.” She says, looking in the empty room.

“She got called into work. I remember her phone going off before I went to bed.”

Tj turns to me. “So... are we expected to get ourselves to school tomorrow?”

“We could all skip.” I offer.

Tj smiles. “Bobby would have a cow.”

I shrug. “It’s not like he’ll be home to see it.”

“Mr. Holmes wants a parent-teacher conference,” Tj says. “I’m trying to break the news to him that I don’t have any parents.”

I pat her shoulder. “Bobby or Kitty would be happy to go.”

“Why? Just so that old windbag can tell them how much of a ‘distraction’ I am to the other students?” She rolls her eyes.

“You’re not a distraction.” I soothe.

“I’m the only blue kid I’ve ever met.” She says. “They see me as an easy target. Hence I’m a distraction. They're trying to run me out. Just like everyone else. God- if I were a demon- like actually a demon- I'd put some kind of curse on them that makes their eyes come out their asses.”

"As creative as that is," I smirk. "You're not a demon."

"No- but they don't have to know that." She says.

I laugh a little. "Look- what Nate said-"

"Nate's an asshole." She hisses. "It's his birthday in a few days- he's always an asshole around his birthday."

The house in a dingy and gray- no matter how many times Kitty and Bobby clean it.

The lovely wet dog smell echoes throughout the home- never lessening or dissipating.

"Yea." I agree, watching a roach skitter up the wall by her head.

"I'm just tired of everyone taking one look at me and assuming I'm the bad guy." She says. "I've been jumped four times since moving here."

“I know. And I'll keep kicking their asses everytime they mess with you.” I tell her. “Just like I have since the first grade.”

Tj smiles. “Yea. You’re pretty good at that.”

“I’m the best at that.” I grin.

I can hear the clock in the living room tick and tock, counting off the seconds of the early morning. We should really get back to bed soon.

I don't want to deny her her moment- though.

“Your dad you used to say that.” She recalls. “You remember?”

“Say what?”I ask.

“That ‘he’s the best at what he does’.” She says. “Never figured out exactly what he did.”

“Saved the world,” I say.

“The x-men weren’t an active team when they died.” She says. “He was probably just a teacher.”

We’re quiet for a moment. “Tj... how much do you remember?” I ask.

She sighs. “I remember it being hot... and there was a bright light... and my dad. I remember calling for my dad. I just... can’t remember him. His face. I just remember that he wouldn’t take me with him. He was... calm. Shit was really hectic, but I remember him being calm. He told Bobby were to take us.”

“And...”

“And.... what?” She asks.

“And do you think....” I stop. It’s a stupid thought.

“Do I think what?” She asks.

“That they’re looking for us?” I ask childishly.

“Aki,” She turns to me, wrapping her arms around me. “They’re dead.” She says. “No one is looking for us. And if they are- Bobby and Kitty have made enough ‘countermeasures’ to make sure we’re never found.”

I relax into her embrace. “I know,” I say. “It’s just.... a dream.”

She nods. “I get those, too.”

We’re quiet for a moment. “Nate’s wrong,” I say. “If anyone can get famous- it’s you.”

“If Kitty will let me.” She grouses. “‘No open mics, Talia’.” She mimics. “No talent shows’, ‘no street performances’ ‘no battle of the bands’.” She shakes her head. “She makes it impossible.”

I know that’s the truth.

“You should ask Bobby.” I offer.

“Bobby always says to ask Kitty.” She says. “It’s a fucking circle.”

The door behind us opens up. “It’s three AM.” Laura pokes her head out. “Come back to bed. We’re going to have to get up extra early if Bobby and Kitty aren’t here.”

I look at Tj who shrugs. “She’s right.” She says, walking off in the direction of our shared bedroom.

Our apartment only has two bedrooms. We’ve all shared a room since I can remember. Me and Laura in one bed, Nate and Tj in the other. Kitty has the bed in her room- Bobby sleeps on a futon. At least they attempt to give each other space.

Our room is dark when we get back to bed and I can hear Nate snoring.

“He doesn’t mean to be a dick,” Laura says quietly. “Bobby says it’s just how the men in his family are.” She pauses for a moment. “Well- were.”

“What a wonderful trait to have inherited.” I laugh.

The girls both snicker.

“We should go to bed,” Tj says. “I’ve got a long day of the school trying to expel me for shit I didn’t do.”

Both Laura and I mumble our agreements.

I lay back in bed thinking. I’m sixteen years old, my parents were some kind of heroes, I lost my family and my home to some mysterious yellow light, and I live with my sister and my ‘cousins’ in a shitty two bedroom apartment with the only adult family I have left.

What a life.


	2. All the trouble caused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this has racial and LGBT slurs (Both of which I hate writing, but the story called for them and I can’t censor it when it needs to be done. :( )
> 
> Also a lot of anti-mutant hate. 
> 
> Oh and the whole bullying thing is a really sore spot for me and I’m a little salty about it. So please excuse the overtones of bitchiness! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

The cafeteria is my least favorite place in every school I’ve ever been to.

It's loud and it smells.

Plus being a public mutant pretty much means your toxic in this school.

Laura, Nate, and I could have pretended to be normal kids... but we couldn't leave Tj in this on her own.

We may not have physical mutations- but we're still mutants.

If she's going to be hated by everyone- so are we.

The cafeteria is large- large enough to seat at least three hundred students. And this is just one of them. The school has like.. three.

We eat in this one because it's in the middle of all of our classes and thus easy to get to and from.

The tables are on wheels and have those uncomfortable multicolored plastic stools attached to them.

We actually went to a school that had actual chairs for the tables. It was a surreal experience.

Everything has a layer of filth over it- the cleaning staff not doing that good of a job to keep up with its upkeep.

The floors are sticky from spilled soda, the walls are greasy from some unknown happening, and the lines that lead into the serving area- a small kitchen set up that you have to go in front of to get served and then pay when you get to the end of the line- are far too long.

If we hadn't left when we did- we wouldn't have gotten lunch at all.

And we've had way too many days of not eating lunch under our belts.

Usually, Bobby and Kitty give us a collected 80 dollars every two weeks for lunch. That's 20 bucks a kid. Lunches are on the expensive side of things so it goes real quick. Especially when you add on drinks and extra shit. It's not unusual for us to do some lunch sharing.

“Is this.. meatloaf or mystery meat?” Tj asks, lifting her red sauce smothered chuck of meat to the light. "I can't tell."

Tj braided her own hair yesterday- like braided it braided it. It took her like.. three hours because of how long it is. She refuses to let anyone or anything touch it. Her outfits always air on the side of 'slutty goth chick'- which she thinks suits the whole 'demon motif'. Doesn't help with people talking about her- but whatever.

Laura dresses just a centimeter above dress code violation. Tight skirts, tight shirts, tank tops- the whole nine yards.

Today they kinda match. each wearing some kind of black skirt and colored tank. Each wearing something that is composed of fishnets- Laura's tights and Tj's gloves- and each wearing combat boots.

Sometimes I want to take them by the ears and shake them.

Dressing fashionably isn't hard. Even on our budget.

what can I say though? Fridays are my casual days. I'm wearing teenage mutant ninja turtle shirt and a pair of skinny jeans- who am I to talk to them about fashion right now?

“Does it matter?” Laura asks with a gag, chewing on her gum. "It smells like puke."

She's not wrong.

Laura's gum is a lunchtime ritual.

It saves money if one of us doesn't eat.

Laura eats a big breakfast and chews gum all day- taking one for the team.

A lot of people gossip that she has an eating disorder.

They've obviously never been to our home where she devours anything that will hold still long enough.

“You should have gotten fries,” I tell her for the fifth time.

“I like to live dangerously.” She says with a shrug, lowering the ‘meat’ to her plate and trying to cut it with her fork.

The cafeteria is loud and stinks. This isn’t the best school in the district so the lunches aren’t exactly ‘kid friendly’.

A group of girls walks by, glancing at us and giggling.

Time to start our daily 'look at the mutants!' routine.

I know, statistically speaking, we can't be the only mutants here.

We're just the ones who are public.

I've suspected a few kids before but I didn't want to call them out.

I've been outed a lot at my other schools- I know how that feels.

By the time I hit 9th grade- I didn't even bother hiding it anymore. I'm a mutant. I'm not going to be ashamed of that. There's nothing shameful about it.

Tj pointedly looks at her tray, avoiding the girl's eye contact.

Our school is very cliquey. The girls walking past us are part of the biggest clique- the 'Mattel' click. Barbie's and Ken's- all of them. Blonde hair, perfect pale skin without a blemish to be seen, skin-tight clothing with the smallest amount of body fat they can have and still survive, nice cars, and mommy and daddy's money.

They stick out so much because of the area we're in. It's not that good of an area. You'd think there wouldn't be very many rich kids walking around.

Thing is- there was a 'mutant' infestation at the 'rich school'. Parents sent their kids packing in protest.

Which is why we are firmly the most hated 'clique' of all.

The perfect white teethed barbie dolls make Tj feel like shit.

I mean- they make all of us feel like shit- but they target Tj.

Which I never understood. She's very pretty- I mean, from a cousin's standpoint. She's just... different.

I'm sure if we'd been raised in our home with all the other mutant kids- we'd be just fine and Tj would be drowning in dudes. As is- I think she gets a little self-conscious and just a little lonely.

The girls walk off, looking back over their shoulders and whispering.

“And what’s the rumor this week?” Tj asks, glancing up.

The rumor mill runs constantly in this school. Pumping out a new story every week pretty much.

This week is the tamest we've had in a while.

“That you sacrifice babies to Satan,” I say, popping a fry in my mouth. “And that we all have mutant orgies while you’re doing it.”

“Mutant orgies.” She snorts. “That’s a new one.”

“Better than the one last week that said we were prostitutes,” Laura says with a shrug.

“Yea... that one almost got Bobby in trouble,” I say, picking up a small package of salt and ripping it open, dumping it on these mediocre excuse for fries.

“I don’t know- the stares we got were kinda cool.” Tj can’t seem to get the meat cut.

We all stare at her.

“What?” She puts her fork down. “I need to throw this shit away before it gains sentience.” She says with a grin.

“I’ve got two bucks.” I offer. “Go get some fries.”

She nods, holding her hand out for the money when she turns to go get in line, she freezes, sitting back down.

Her gloves that she's wearing are to hide her hands. She's self-conscious about her three fingers when she's not at home. She hates people seeing them.

The two toes she gets away with because her feet are covered.

Kitty says that her dad used to have custom made boots and gloves. As is- Tj does the alterations herself.

She's gotten pretty good at it.

Her freezing is explained when I look over in the direction of the lunch line.

“Sarah?” I question knowingly.

She nods, not looking up from her tray.

“You can’t let her stop you from getting something to eat,” Laura says. “Come on- I’ll go with you.”

“No- that’s fine,” Tj says quickly. “Really.”

“Tj, you don’t have to be scared of some silly little valley girl.” She insists.

“She keeps making up lies,” Tj says quietly. “Saying I’m hurting her or that I’m some kind of monster.”

“Tj...”

“And everyone fucking believes her. Even the kids who know me.”

Laura reaches out and takes her hand. “You’re not a monster.” She says quietly.

“Tell that to Sarah. Playing the victim card for all it’s worth.” Tj grouses.

“When did her beef with you start, anyway?” I ask, eating another fry.

“When I refused to buy her bullshit about you and Laura,” Tj says. “Disagree with her? Enemy number one. And she rules the whole fucking school. No one is even trying to listen to my side of the story.” She’s quiet for a minute. “Not even the teachers. Sarah would rather run me off than have me tell anyone what a bitch she is. Most people don't even like her! They just don't want to end up in the crosshairs.” Tj shakes her head. "Fucking tyrant. I hate tyrants."

“Some people... are just assholes,” I say. “Really- you can’t get everyone to like you.”

“Bet she can get everyone to hate me.” She mumbles.

I watch the blonde girl look in our direction, glaring hard enough to drill holes in the back of Tj’s head.

“Hey- there’s an upside to this.” I try to soothe.

“Yea?” Tj looks up at me.

I nod. “Soon, we’ll graduate and she’ll be stuck at home with four kids and a cheating husband and miserable and then gain a bunch of weight.”

She actually smiles. “Thanks, Aki.” She says. “That actually makes me feel better.”

“Anytime.” I smile, pushing my fries to the middle of the table. “You can have the rest of mine,” I say. “I’m not that hungry today.”

That's a lie. I"m starving.

I just don't want her to go hungry.

At least I can say I ate a little bit.

I know she'd do the same for me.

“Got anything to do with a certain booooy?” Tj asks, taking the paper container of fries and putting two in her mouth.

“NO,” I say defensively.

It really doesn't- but they're going to give me a hard time anyway.

“Give it up, Aki,” Laura says. “He’s not gay.”

“We don’t know that,” I say.

“Uh yeah- we do,” Laura says. “Trust me- he wouldn’t hang with the kids he does if he were gay.”

“Maybe he’s in the closet?”I offer.

“And maybe I’m Santa Claus,” Tj smirks.

I roll my eyes. “A guy can dream,” I mumble.

“Dreaming is good. Being delusional? Not so much.” Tj laughs.

I pick up a salt packet and throw it at her, grinning. "Fuck you." I laugh.

She laughs and dodges.

"Kids." Laura rolls her eyes.

We both look at her before throwing salt packets in her direction as well.

Laura smiles and goes to digging in her bag- pulling out notebooks. "Fine. Be childish," she says. "I have adult things to do."

We both laugh.

“So where’s Nate today?” Tj asks after a minute.

“Chess club- I think,” Laura says, drinking a gulp of the coke in front of her.

“No,” I say thoughtfully. “It’s Friday. He’s at debate.”

“Debate club letting in a telepath has to be the stupidest thing those brains have done,” Tj says, eating more fries.

“Better than when he wanted to join ROTC,” I say with a shrug.

“That’s because we didn’t have the money for ROTC,” Laura says. “Debate is free.”

“And if there’s one thing Nathan Summers is good at- it’s arguing,” Tj adds.

“Bobby says he gets that from his dad. He's a born natural.” I say with a smirk.

The other two are quiet.

“What?” I ask.

“You still upset about your dream last night?” Tj asks.

“What? No-“

“You just brought up Nate’s dad. And you’ve been doing it all morning.” Laura says.

“I mean...” I rub a hand through my hair. “Maybe?”

The two girls nod.

“It’s okay to be upset,” Laura says. “We all miss them.”

“Yea,” Tj adds.

“Can you really miss someone you don’t remember?” I ask.

“Sure.” Tj pushes the greasy paper ‘bowl’ back to me. “Now, if you’ll excuse me- I have a German test to go fail.”

For some reason- Bobby finds Tj failing German really funny.

We’ve yet to figure out why.

The rest of us fail a class? It’s the end of the world.

Tj failing German? Funniest thing in the world.

Sometimes it impossible to read Bobby.

“Bye Tj.” Laura waves.

“See ya!” The girl gathers her black messenger bag and jacket and walks off towards the foreign language building.

“So... Corey.” Laura starts.

I groan. “Don’t.”

“What? He’s cute.”

“Corey’s out of my league.”

“Hate to break it to you little brother-“ Laura says. “But there’s not a kid- girl or boy- who is out of your league at this school.”

That actually makes me laugh.

“What?” She says. "It's true. You got good genes. You could easily date anyone you wanted."

"yea, right," I say.

She shrugs. "So long as they're playing for your team- I guess."

I need to talk to Bobby.

He's who I talk to about boys.

Sure- Kitty would get it. But Bobby's actually gay. A dude who likes dudes is perfect for when a teenage boy has boy trouble.

And Corey- Corey Ross is boy trouble in a pretty package.

Blonde hair, green eyes, swimmers body (he's captain of the swim team), and he's not completely horrible to me.

And honestly 'not completely horrible' is the nicest thing we can say about anyone in this school.

"Finding someone who plays for my team, doesn't hate mutants, and won't tease because I'm poor as shit is impossible," I say.

She nods. "You could always wait till college."

That makes me laugh. "College? I'm not going to college."

"Aki-"

"I'm not," I say. "We don't have the money. I won't put Bobby and Kitty through that."

She nods. "I see your point."

"Do you think it's funny that none of our parents left us any money?" I ask.

"Maybe they didn't have it." She says.

I look around the room. "But we lived in a mansion. An honest to god mansion. How could they not leave us any money?"

"Maybe they didn't have it." She repeats. "Maybe their assets got frozen. Maybe one of us as a huge trust fund that they have to be like 30 to inherit."

"yea right." I laugh.

Laura looks down at her the notebook in front of her.

Looks like English homework.

She tends to do her work pretty quickly- meaning she rarely has to do it at home.

"At any rate- you're more than attractive enough for Corey," she says, glancing up at me.

"Thanks. I’ve kinda been thinking of doing some different.” I say.

“Like....”

“Something with my hair?”

“Like...” She presses.

“I don’t know. Shaving some of it off?” I say.

“Shaving... some of it off.” She repeats. “Like... an undercut?”

“Like a... Mohawk.” I say.

“You’ve got too much hair for that.” She motions to where I’ve got it pulled back on top of my head.

“I don’t like cutting it,” I say.

“Yet you want to shave your head.” She says with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t want to shave all of it.” I roll my eyes.

“I mean- you do you.” She says. “Really. Just.... think about it before you do something drastic. You’ve still got two more years in this hellhole. You don’t want to do anything else to make yourself stand out.”

“What’s wrong with standing out?” I ask.

“I mean... Aki...” Laura motions to the room around us- every table and seat around our table is empty. Kids are actually standing up on the wall and eating on the floor outside to avoid sitting near us. “Don’t you think we stand out enough already?”

I mumble my agreement. “I’m still going to do it,” I say, eating one of the last fries in the container in front of me.

Laura shakes her head. “Fine. Do it.”

“We could do yours too.” I offer.

“No thank you.” She says. “I’m not shaving my head.”

“We could dye it.” I offer.

She pauses. “I’m interested.” She says. “Go on.”

“I don’t know... full head or streaks?” I ask.

She thinks it over. “I’ve kinda wanted to do just two streaks- framing my face.”

“Got any color in mind?”

“No.” She says.

“Blue?” I ask.

She shrugs.

“Purple?”

“My hairs too dark for purple.”

“Red?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t see myself with red hair.”

“We’ll figure something out,” I assure her. “Pass me some of your coke.”

“Go get your own drink.” She says.

“Share,” I say.

“I don’t like sharing drinks.” She grouses.

“Share,” I repeat, smiling.

Laura grumbles something under her breath and passes the half-full bottle over. “Little sips.” She says. “Don’t drink all of that. I was hoping to bring it home with me.”

“We can’t find another drink before going home?”

“No cash.” She says.

“We can use my two dollars.” I offer. “Two kids to a bottle?”

She nods. “Just until Bobby gets something done about the water. It smells metallic. I don’t trust drinking it.”

“True.” I nod. “Here,” I pull the two dollars out. “Coke and sprite,” I say.

“Coke and sprite.” She repeats.

I take the container in front of me and stand up. “Bells about to ring,” I say.

“I better get going then.” She says. “My class is all the way across campus. And my teacher loves to mark me tardy.”

I nod. “See you at home.”

“Love you.” She picks up her bottle.

“Love you too.” I walk over to the trash can and toss the empty container.

I turn around and go back to my table, gathering my shit up.

Some boys walk by and whisper, pointing a little.

Fuck it all.

I shoulder my ratty black bookbag and try to ignore them, heading to the gym for my PE class.

The bell rings halfway there.

As always- I keep my head down.

Really there’s no use for any ‘outcast’ to try to keep their chin up at this school. Really. We’re all beaten down to the point of least resistance. There’s no point in even trying to fight it.

I get to the gym and notice my PE couch glaring at me. “Howlett!” He calls as soon as I enter. “Over here!”

Coach is a fat man. An old, white, fat man with thinning gray hair. He kind of looks like what I imagine a pumpkin would look like if a hate-filled pumpkin randomly decided to become a person one day. His white shirt has yellow pit stains under his arms and a collar that digs into the fat rolls at his neck. His eyes are dark and beady- bugling out everytime he gets angry.

"Coach Wilson." I nod to him.

"Put some hustle into it Howlett!" he yells as I move over to him.

God. what the hell could I have done this time?

This man hates me. He doesn't even try to hide it.

He hates my race, he hates my abilities, he hates my sexual preference- if I was an immigrant I would be his bigotry bingo.

The gym is this shitty little run down place. The floors are waxed and squeaky and he has the ball carts set out for a game of basketball later. To the left of the room are two doors that lead to the individual locker rooms. Those- I don't like being in. I've gotten my ass kicked several times.

Thing is- the school knows we're mutants.

If we fight back every time we're jumped, we're likely to be arrested.

"Did you hear me?" he thunders. "I said MOVE!"

I walk over to him- wondering what on earth I could have done to upset him this time.

“Some of the boys are a little concerned by your... preferences.” He says in a growl. “They think you ought to not be changing with other boys.”

Wilson is from somewhere down South.

Kentucky maybe?

It gives a just a teeny tiny excuse for his bigotry.

He's a backwater hick.

Maybe he honestly doesn't know any better?

Then again, when we moved to California, we were under the impression that everyone would be much more understanding.

We were dead wrong.

"I shouldn't... be allowed to change with other boys?" I ask, for clarification.

"You got wax in your ears?" He sneers. "You heard me."

"Sir-"

"You like boys!" he says loudly and slowly. "You can't be around naked ones. Do you understand??" he yells the last part.

God, I'm so embarrassed.

He always finds a way to make me feel like shit. Always.

"Do you understand or do we need to put you in the retard class as well??" he asks.

I’m shocked. So shocked I can't say anything.

"You are not allowed in the boy's locker room- do you understand me??" He says loudly and slowly- like I'm a deaf idiot.

"Sir-"

"Don't interrupt me." He thunders. "You will listen. I am an adult! I am better than you. I am stronger than you. I am smarter than you and you will shut your mouth and listen- do you Understand me???"

I nod, trying to stop his tirade from getting any worse.

"Good. Now, since your depravity swings both ways,” he says ignorantly, “You can’t change with the girls either. So from now on, I don’t want you using the locker rooms.”

There are boys off behind him that are pointing and laughing.

“This is illegal,” I say. “My sexual preference has nothing-“

“See that’s the thing with you faggots.” He snarls. “Always shoving it in good Christian folk’s faces.”

I’m dumbfounded. “You brought it up!”

“Just to tell you that you can’t be preying on my boys.” He says. “It’s unholy and disgusting. You wanna act like a girl- go act like a girl.”

“I’m not acting like a girl!” I snap.

“Girls like boys. You like boys. You might as well be a girl.”

“I like girls too!” I try to defend myself.

“Hence why you can’t be in their locker room either,” he says, smiling. "You catching on to this yet, boy or do we have to slow it down??"

There’s a larger group of my classmates behind him- all laughing and pointing.

“ You can’t do this,” I say, feeling the heat on my face. “It’s illegal. I’m allowed to change in the locker room whether I’m Bi or not.”

“For humans it’s illegal.” He leans forward. “But you’re not human now- are you?”

I stare at the waxed floor. I can’t believe this.

“Where am I supposed to change?” I ask quietly.

“Bathroom down the hall.” He says. “Hurry up.”

“That’s not fair!”

“I don’t like your tone.” He says in a growl.

“You’re not being fair!” I try again.

“Ya know what? Go to Principal Wells office.” He says. “You’re being disrespectful and causing a scene.”

“A scene??? I’m causing a scene??? I’ve been nothing but patient with your bigotry-“

“Oh- now you’re calling me a bigot??” He snarls. “I ain’t no bigot. I’m just looking out for my kids. My NORMAL kids. You muties got no right to be here. You know that? Shoulda rounded you up and thrown you in camps. You’re a danger. And you’re gay on top of it?? That makes you a double danger. That makes me, an adult and a proud patriotic Christian male, have to look out for my kids.”

“That whole speech proves that you’re a bigot!” I say in exasperation.

“If I were a bigot I’d talk about your race. Which is a realm we’re not even going to go into. Now get to Well’s office! You’re lucky I don't have you suspended for your bullshit!”

The entire class is now on the wall watching.

Laughter rings out.

he looks behind him and smirks.

Publically humiliating me is his favorite thing.

"You're not fair!" I tell him. "I'll have the school board all over your ass!'

"Get the hell out of my class, mutie." He says. "Ain't no school board going to fire a championship coach for some mutant faggot. So you just move it right along the road to Well's office- got me?? You will not disrespect me in front of my class. You will not hurt my students. Do you understand?"

"I wasn't disrespecting you and I'm not hurting anyone!" I cry. "Please- this isn't fair." I try to sound calmer.

"I'll tell you what's not fair- my tax dollars paying for you and your little mutie family to live off welfare. You have the nerve to come into our communities- into our schools, endanger OUR kids, and then ask us to pay you to do it???" his voice raises.

"Sir-"

"You got to the principal's office right now!" He thunders. "And I mean it!"

"That's not fair!" I try again. "I haven't done anything!"

"Get the hell out of my gym- boy! I mean it!"

“FINE!” I yell. “I don’t want to be in your fucking class anyway!”

“Excuse me?????” He yells.

"Get him, coach!" One the boys yells.

“You heard me!” I storm off, knocking over a rack of basketballs on my way out. "Fuck you!"

“You get back here!” He thunders, rushing out after me and grabbing my arm.

“Let go!” I yell, Struggling to get out of his hold.

He's got me on the floor, towering over me.

Needless to say- I do not feel safe right now.

And I know- I know- if this goes too far and I end up hurt they'll blame it on me and i"ll probably end up in more trouble than what I'm in now.

I know I shouldn't have cursed at him. Not when he was angry as he was.

But he pissed me off! what was I going to do?? He insulted everything about me!

“You stupid mutie.” He hisses. “Causing a scene. Physically assaulting me!”

“I didn’t assault you!” I cry, trying to pull my arm back.

There’s pressure in my fists- right under my knuckles.

They’re going to come out- at school. In front of the biggest bigot, there is.

“Let me go!” I cry.

I finally get free- just in time to stop my claws. I'm on my back on the floor- staring up at him.

“You listen here.” He snarls, leaning down to get in my ear. “You are not welcome at this school.” He hisses. “You are not welcome in this town. You are not welcome in this country. So why don’t you take your chink ass back to where you came from?”

I’m so mad that I feel tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Get the fuck out of my hallway.” He says. “If it were up to me? You’d be expelled.” He kicks my knee. “Get to the principal's office. I’m calling him right now to tell him about the verbal assault you unleashed on me and the vandalism you caused my classroom.”

I get to my feet, not saying a word.

“That’s right.” He calls as I’m walking away. “Keep going!”

Big man right? Big man picking on a kid.

I didn’t do anything to him.

I wouldn’t do anything to him.

On the way to the dreaded office- I text Bobby, giving him a brief rundown of what happened.

The hallways are dark and empty. I can still hear the boys cheering in my head.

What did I ever do to them- huh? Exist? Is that my sin? Literally being born?

God! I want to scream at something!

The tiles underfoot are a mesh of different colors- I'm sure in the 80's it was seen as attractive. it's not the 80's anymore however and in 2018- the look doesn't translate well.

Rows and rows of lockers pass me- the yellow metal standing out in my peripheral.

When I hit the office, the principal is standing in the door- waiting.

He's a small man, thin and lanky, eyes looking like a rat's and teeth looking like a horse's. His hair is slicked back like a cars salesman's would be. He has his hands in the pockets of his gray suit pants.

“Well, well, well.” He says. “Mr. Howlett. However did I know you would be here?”

“Because coach Wilson called you?” I mumble.

“Get in my office.” He growls. “Now.”

The office is somewhere me and my family spend a lot of time in.

The main office has a desk and a receptionist- Tiffany, an elderly black woman who is stern but somewhat fair. The walls are hung with student work and pictures of employee's of the month'. All in all, it looks like a nice place.

It is not, however, a nice place. It is a very not place- in fact.

I walk past him, seeing Nate in one of the many chairs and Bobby at the desk.

Thank god, he's already here.

“I’m sorry.” The Assistant principal is saying. She's a small redheaded woman with a pair of thick-rimmed glasses on her nose and a pantsuit that's a size too big for her frame in a hideous shade of blue. “There’s just nothing we can do. He cheated.”

“He didn’t cheat!” Bobby yells- if he's yelling, they've been at this for a while. “Show me proof. Show me where he cheated.”

“He used his telepathic abilities.” The woman says. “The teacher said she felt him in her mind.”

“That’s not proof!” Bobby yells. "You can't prove that she 'felt' him in her mind! He studies harder than any kid I've ever met!" Bobby is livid. "Why the hell would he need to cheat if he knows the material??"

“Mr. Drake- if you can’t raise these children to not be cheaters- there’s nothing I can tell you. Coming in here like this.” She rolls her eyes. “Nathan gets a zero on the test. Just like all the other student’s who cheat. We have a zero tolerance policy. Without that test- he’ll fail his senior year. Now, he can take a course in summer school if he so wishes, or we can come back next year and repeat the grade. Whichever he so chooses. Anyway, you slice it- this child is not graduating this year.”

“He’s a straight A student!” Bobby says.

“Bobby,” Nate says, “It’s okay. I just want to go home.”

Bobby turns around and faces him. “No Nate.” He says. “It is not okay. Nothing about this is okay. You didn’t cheat. You KNOW you didn’t cheat.” He nods back to the assistant principal. “And she knows you didn’t cheat. This is plain old bigotry- clear as day.”

The principal clears his throat. “Mr. Drake, while we’ve got you here- this one, another example of your lovely guardian abilities, verbally assaulted a teacher and caused vandalism to the school.”

Bobby turns to me. “Come here.” He says.

Wells holds me in my spot.

“Get your hand off of him,” Bobby growls.

“I’m suspending him.” The man says. “A week. Next week, to be exact.”

“For what?”

“For verbally assaulting a teacher.” The man says slyly.

At that moment, Tj comes in behind me.

Both the administrators turn to Bobby. “Another one of your charges- how shocking,” Wells says.

“What’d she do?” He asks.

“Started a fist fight with a cheerleader.” The teacher with her says.

The teacher is the cheerleading coach. She’s the wife of the man who kicked me out of class. So you can see where she would share his values.

Tj has tears in her eyes and a bruise blossoming on her cheek.

Bobby looks between the three of us. “I’m taking them home.” He says. “Page Laura Kinney- I’m taking her too. With how this little altercation is going, no doubt she’ll be here soon anyway.”

“Mr. Drake...” Wells says, sitting on the desk. “It’s time to consider that these children just aren’t fit to be around other children. Not normal children at any rate. What with the bill passing through Congress-“

“No,” Bobby says.

“It’s within my rights-“

“I swear to god-“

“To expel the four of them for the health of my other students.” He smiles. “And that? Well... I think I’ve given them more than enough-“

“That’s not fair!” Nate yells.

“You can’t just expel us!” Tj adds. “We didn’t do anything!”

“With mutants in public schools, I’m afraid the discretion of whether or not they continue to attend amongst the normal student body is up to the administers of that school.” He motions between himself and Mrs. Stokes- the VP. “Us.”

The woman nods. “And this?” She says, looking over her glasses and Bobby. “Just isn’t a good fit.”

Bobby clenches his fist at his side. “Ya know what? You’re right. This isn’t a good fit. These kids are in more danger here with you than have been at three of their past schools.” He motions to the secretary. “Call Laura Kinney.” He says. “I swear this is the last you’ll ever see of them.”

“Bobby-“ I try to fix the situation.

“It’s okay, Aki.” He says. “I promise. We’ll figure something out.”

Bobby was a highschool drop out because he had to take us in at 16. He’s always really pushed going to school.

“We’ll homeschool or something.” He says.

“We can’t afford-“ Tj starts.

“It’s fine,” Bobby says. “Don’t worry about what we can and can’t afford- okay? That’s the adult’s jobs. You just focus on.. being kids. Alright?”

We all nod.

The vice principal and the principal make themselves scarce as we wait for Laura to show up.

“Got your things?” Bobby asks us as soon as she's through the door.

My sister looks around in confusion for a moment before nodding, grasping the situation without us saying a word.

We all nod, still in shock.

“Good.” He motions to the door, holding it open for us. Our white car is parked very crookedly a few feet from the front steps.

We board the car in silence.

When we pull off he clears his throat. “None of you did anything wrong- okay?” He says. “I know the teacher’s claims were bullshit- you don’t have to defend yourselves.”

“What are we gonna do?” Tj asks, looking out the window.

“We’ll figure it out,” Bobby says.

“I was so close to finishing,” Nate grumbles.

Bobby keeps his eyes on the road. “In life... as mutants... people are gonna try to stop you from doing things.” He says finally. “It just means you have to fight harder. There are other schools in the district. There are other districts. I promise you- we will figure it out. Until then... just... .enjoy the vacation- okay?” He says with a smile.

“Yea, okay,” Tj says, turning back to him. “I really didn’t start that fight though.”

“I know you didn’t Tj,” Bobby says. “Like you didn’t start the last four. Those kids are jumping you just to jump you. They know they won’t get in trouble and they know you can’t hit back.”

We’re all silent.

“I did say fuck to the coach though,” I say.

Everyone breaks out into laughter.

“Yea... well... I’m sure he deserved it.” Bobby says.

We go back to the house in silence- but it’s a comfortable silence.

When we get to the apartment Bobby turns back to us. "Someone got keys?" he asks.

Laura digs hers out of her bookbag.

"Great," he says. "Kitty's twenty minutes from home- and I gotta go back to work okay? You guys go and try to relax. If you need anything give me a call and I'll try to get back to ya- got it?"

We all nod getting out of the car. "Cool," he says.

Bobby still looks young for his age. He only turned 30 recently. His hair is still like a young person would wear it- kinda in his face a little.

"I'll pick up supper on the way home- okay?" he asks.

"Got it." Nate, the closest one to him says.

Bobby nods, waiting for us to close the doors. He waves goodbye and pulls out the parking lot.

I look between my family and myself. "What are we going to do with our adult free twenty minutes?" I ask.

"Porn on the family laptop?" Nate suggests.

"Ewwww." Tj groans.

"Just a suggestion." He smiles.

"Suggestion noted." I laugh. "Let's just... go chill out for a while."

They nod.

Nate pats my shoulder as we're walking up to the front door. "You can tell me what you said to Wilson," he says.

The other two makes noises of agreement.

Today wasn't a great day but... it was a day. We're all still alive. So I guess that's something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so if y'all noticed- this is a Daken/Johnny ship fic. But that won't happen til a little later. I don't plan on tagging ti 'underage' because nothings going to happen while they're underage. It's more of a slow burn where they're concerned. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> If there's something tagged wrong of not mentioned in the author's note- please let me know!  
> Also, if you'd be so kind to leave a kudos of a comment- they really make my day. 
> 
> (also if you want to get into the mindset for this fic I'd really suggest listening to all of Paramore's 'Riot' album. Which is what completely and full-heartedly inspired this fic!)


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